The Benefits and Risks of Daily Aspirin Use

Taking aspirin can have both benefit and risk to our health. Here are some of the pros and cons to consider! However, most importantly, always check with your doctor! He/she will be able to prescribe the appropriate dosage and brand for your personal needs.

Benefits:

It may decrease the chance of heart attack and lower the chance of blood clotting. Aspirin is a blood thinner, which allows for it to flow easier through blood vessels. While research is still slim, there is some evidence that aspirin can also reduce the chance of colorectal cancer and maybe gastrointestinal cancer. Of course, make sure you’re still getting your regular cancer screenings! If you have one of the following risk factors, ask your doctor about the possibility of using aspirin: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, family history of heart disease, smoking, obesity, or physical inactivity.

Risks:

If you have a bleeding or clotting disorder, allergy, or stomach ulcers, you should most likely avoid taking aspirin. Also, once you start taking aspirin, you may be stuck taking it, at least for a while, because stopping may rebound your chance of a heart attack. Take aspirin consistently until you talk to your doctor about discontinuing.